Article 210.19(A)(3) Exception 1

[Smart $]

My take is the conductors between JB's cannot be tap conductors. My reasoning is the last JB's are required to be secured. The "not be longer than necessary for servicing" stipulation would require a flexible wiring method.

 

[PetrosA]

To continue playing the role of devil's advocate, appliances with whips like ovens and cooktops generally have no termination compartment that's accessible without disassembly (vs. dryers which have an electrical access panel). So it's possible that the manufacturers have decided that common house wiring should not be terminated within a certain distance of the unit. In that case, the high temp wire they use could actually be considered an extension of the appliance itself. If that were the case, how could it also be considered the tap?

 

[Smart $]

To continue playing the role of devil's advocate, appliances with whips like ovens and cooktops generally have no termination compartment that's accessible without disassembly (vs. dryers which have an electrical access panel). So it's possible that the manufacturers have decided that common house wiring should not be terminated within a certain distance of the unit. In that case, the high temp wire they use could actually be considered an extension of the appliance itself. If that were the case, how could it also be considered the tap?

The exception says where smaller than the branch circuit conductors. It does not say anything about ampacity in this regard. However this infers the equipment cannot have a load rating less than the 20A required for the minimum ampacity of tap conductors.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

To continue playing the role of devil's advocate, appliances with whips like ovens and cooktops generally have no termination compartment that's accessible without disassembly (vs. dryers which have an electrical access panel). So it's possible that the manufacturers have decided that common house wiring should not be terminated within a certain distance of the unit. In that case, the high temp wire they use could actually be considered an extension of the appliance itself. If that were the case, how could it also be considered the tap?

Art. 210.19(A)(3) exception1 states that the conductors that are part of the leads supplied with the appliance that are smaller than the branch circuit are tap conductors

 

[PetrosA]

Art. 210.19(A)(3) exception1 states that the conductors that are part of the leads supplied with the appliance that are smaller than the branch circuit are tap conductors

You got me there

 

[augie47]

TN State Code requires a separate branch circuit for each appliance so we don't see the taps in use. In your experience are the factory whips normally long enough to reach a common tap box and allow servicing ?
I thought earlier about the requirement to fasten a j box in place as Smart$ noted in his post (#21), but it still might be advantageous to a service tech to have the extra length even if he had to temporarily un-fasten the box.

 

[PetrosA]

... In your experience are the factory whips normally long enough to reach a common tap box and allow servicing ?...

I've seen whips on Miele wall ovens that are long enough to drop down through the cabinets, through the floor and reach a JB three feet away. I've also seen ovens with whips so short that you can't mount the JB in the oven cavity and make the connection - it has to hang free and you need two feet of spare cable to have enough length to move the oven out far enough to make your connections. The box can't get mounted because once you pull the oven close enough to mount the box, it blocks your access to the cavity. Crazy.

 

[Smart $]

...
I thought earlier about the requirement to fasten a j box in place as Smart$ noted in his post (#21), but it still might be advantageous to a service tech to have the extra length even if he had to temporarily un-fasten the box.

I considered the aspect of unfastening the JB, but then rationalized that wiring methods are intended to be permanent. So unfastening a JB temporarily would not figure into an allowable tap method. However, there is nothing which prevents the JB from being secured to the appliance.

 

[Little Bill]

TN State Code requires a separate branch circuit for each appliance so we don't see the taps in use. In your experience are the factory whips normally long enough to reach a common tap box and allow servicing ?
I thought earlier about the requirement to fasten a j box in place as Smart$ noted in his post (#21), but it still might be advantageous to a service tech to have the extra length even if he had to temporarily un-fasten the box.

Gus could you tell me what that state code is that requires a separate circuit for each appliance?
I've seen installs with one circuit that serves a cooktop and wall mounted oven.

I think I have a copy of the state amendments somewhere. If I knew the antd. code # I could look it up.